We are in a study of end-time prophecy trying to answer one question: Will Christians go through the tribulation period? We are now examining the three prominent answers given to the question by futurists:
(1) The Pre-tribulation position is that Christians will be raptured before the seven-year tribulation period.
(2) The Mid-tribulation camp says the rapture will happen in the middle of the tribulation period.
(3) Proponents of the Post-tribulation position believe the rapture will happen at the same time as the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation period.
Last week we examined a variant of the pre-tribulation position known as partial rapture. It is sometimes called the split-rapture theory. We determined that dividing the church (the Body of Christ) into two resurrections is not supported by the weight of the scriptures. Therefore, we concluded that this position is probably not supportable and decided that the whole church will be raptured at the same time as the Bride of Christ. Now we are ready to examine each of the three positions on the timing of the rapture in relationship to the tribulation period.
Today we will consider the PRE-TRIBULATION position. We will only have time to address the major STRENGTHS of this position today. Next week we will balance that out by discussing its weaknesses. Analyzing the other two positions should go faster because we will deal with most of the major issues while evaluating the pre-tribulation position.
The Lord is requiring me to dig much deeper into this study than I initially planned. There must be a reason for that, so I am just going with it. The times we’re in may require it. Most of the time when people preach on this subject, they simply present their position. That is often done with an emphasis on the strengths of their position and very little discussion of the weaknesses. Our approach is to present both strengths and weaknesses of each position as objectively as possible. No one does that perfectly, but we are trying to look at it from more than one perspective.
There are many issues of eschatology that I am absolutely convinced of and unmovable. I believe Jesus is literally and physically returning to the earth in His glorified body to rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I believe believers will be literally and physically resurrected with a glorified body like the one Christ has. I could go on and on with doctrines that are so clear in Scripture. There is no debate about them as far as I’m concerned.
But the timing of the Lord’s return is something no one fully knows. Even the angels don’t know the day and hour of Christ’s return. We’re looking at our subject through a glass darkly with a teachable spirit. We’re searching the scriptures like the Bereans did to learn what we can. The final answer that we arrive at is not as important as what we will learn in the process. So I hope you will persevere with me as we seek to understand what we can and trust God with the secret things He has not revealed.
Let’s talk about some of the strengths of the pre-tribulation position. It has a lot of strong points to recommend it. That’s why so many conservative, Bible-believing scholars embrace it. Like the other two positions, it is built on a literal interpretation of Scripture. But in what ways might this approach be preferable over the other two positions.
I. It recognizes the biblical PURPOSE OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
In a previous message we identified two primary purposes for the seven-year tribulation. Do you remember what they are? They are the outpouring of wrath on the ungodly gentile nations and the final preparations for Israel to receive her Messiah. With the church in heaven according to this position, the focus of God’s dealings during the tribulation period is on those two objectives.
It is easy to read Scripture with ourselves at the center of the interpretation. Replacement theology does that in my opinion. Instead of recognizing Israel’s rightful place in God’s plan, everything said to them is about me as a Christian. At a lesser degree, it is possible to put the church at the center of the tribulation period when Israel is really the focus.
The book of Revelation provides the most detail about the tribulation period. It’s content and symbolism are very Jewish. The revelation was given to a Jew knowledgeable of Old Testament Scripture. That should be kept in mind by anyone trying to understand the book. Although it does not directly quote the Old Testament, some estimate nearly 70% of the verses contain Old Testament references.i
In his exposition of Revelation, W. A. Criswell points out some of the Jewish symbolism and writes, “Though he never quotes from the Old Testament directly, John reflects the prophetic language and visions of the books of the Old Testament. When we see the symbols and the signs and the pictures in the Revelation, we can go back to the Old Testament and find their meaning.”ii
My point is that the Jewishness of this book reflects the fact that it is describing the last week of God’s dealings with the nation of Israel. John sees the church in heaven in chapters 4, 5, 11, and 19. But we do not see any clear references to the church being on earth in chapters 4-18.
Some point to the mention of “saints” as proof the church is there. But the Greek word simply means “set apart to or by God, consecrated; holy, morally pure, upright.” For example, Revelation 13:7 says, “It was granted to him [Antichrist] to make war with the saints [hagios] and to overcome them.”iii Saints is a valid translation, but it does not necessarily refer to those who are a part of the church. In fact, the context follows the comments about the woman in chapter 12 which is a clear reference to Jews.
Criswell, a pre-tribulationist, makes an interesting observation about the exhortation that follows in Revelation 13:9: “If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” He writes, “Here again is an example of the fact that if we interpret this book correctly, every little piece and detail will fall into place. ‘If a man have an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith to the churches’—this is the word of the Lord seven times in chapters 2 and 3. But we do not have that last phrase here—‘. . . what the spirit saith to the church,” for they are gone. God has taken them out of this awful trial and tribulation.”iv The pre-tribulation theory gives prominence to God’s purpose for Israel during that seven-year period.
Additionally, it supports the biblical statement that God has not appointed Christians to wrath. We demonstrated in a previous teaching that God’s wrath is poured out during the tribulation
period. In fact, that is the other clear reason for the tribulation period. The classic verse quoted by pre-tribulationists is 1 Thessalonians 5:9: “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Post-tribulationists try to answer this issue by focusing the issue of wrath as referring to eternal wrath alone. But the argument is weak. If God did not appoint Christians to wrath, He does not subject them to wrath of God in any context. In fact, the promise in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 is in the context of the tribulation period. So, on this point, pre-tribulation theory is stronger than post-tribulation theory.
That is the first strength of the pre-tribulation position; it recognizes God’s purpose for the tribulation period. A second strength is:
II. It ORGANIZES WHOLE the whole biblical revelation on eschatology in a logical, unified system.
The pieces fit together well. Perhaps too well, but at least it makes sense.
It avoids the confusion found in overlapping the church age with the last week for Israel. With the overlap, questions arise, for example, as to whether the declaration in Galatian 3:28 that says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek” is still in effect. The book of Revelation seems to give prominence to Jews during the tribulation. But that seems inconsistent with the Galatians 3:28 statement for the church age.
The church age began with a specific event on the Day of Pentecost. It seems reasonable that it would end with a specific event called the rapture. A reasonableness argument like that is not as strong as a chapter and verse with a clear statement of revelation. But it is at least worth mentioning. In all fairness, we must acknowledge the fact that about 40 years expired between that Day of Pentecost and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. So, the transition may not be as clean as pre-tribulationists typically present it. Nevertheless, having the church going through the tribulation period does raise questions about which program is in effect during that time.
The other two positions have organized systems that include the whole biblical revelation on the subject. But the pre-tribulation position is more logical. That does not prove it is right. But the more loose ends that we have in our interpretation, the less confident we become.
III. The pre-tribulation position seems to follow the SEQUNECE in the BOOK OF REVELATION.
In Revelation 4:1 John is caught up and sees a vision of heaven. The transition in that verse begins with the words, “After these things” (meta tauta).v John is marking a significant shift in his narrative. Prior to this he is addressing the seven churches on earth.
Now he sees into heaven, and one of the things he sees is 24 elders around the throne of God. There are good reasons to see these 24 elders as representative of the church in heaven. In Revelation 4:4 John writes, “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.” The fact that they are seated (Eph. 2:6; Rev. 3:21), they are clothed in white robes (Rev. 3:5), and they have crowns on their heads all point to the church. The crowns are stephanos which were the wreaths given to the winners in the Olympic games. It is indicative of overcoming.vi
Probably the greatest evidence that they represent the overcoming church is found in their expression of worship in Revelation 5:9-10. There they sing, “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” If they are the church, we are seeing them in heaven, not on the earth at this point. They continue to be seen in chapters 7, 11, 14, and 19. Throughout Revelation 4-19 there is no specific reference to the church on earth. That is an indication that the church is in heaven during the tribulation. As important as the church is in New Testament theology, it would be strange that she is not specifically seen on earth during the tribulation period if she is there.
In Revelation 19 John sees the Bride of Christ in heaven. Ephesians 5:25-27 lets us know the church is the Bride of Christ. She is seen in heaven before the second coming. Revelation 19:6-8 says, “And I [John] heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
Her attire described in that last phrase, “for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” suggests an event that is not specifically stated in this passage but is taught elsewhere in the New Testament. The “righteous acts of the saints” is not a reference to imputed righteousness but to the righteous acts that flowed out of the new nature. The church is seen here clothed with her righteous acts.
That terminology suggests that her works have already been tested and approved at the Judgment Seat of Christ.vii Addressing fellow Christians Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” There is no indication in Revelation 19 that the Bride is on her way to be judged. Yet the post-tribulation position would seem to require that. In addition to the Judgment Seat of Christ event, there is also “the marriage of the Lamb” mentioned in Revelation 19:7.
When do those two events happen? In the pre-tribulation position, they happen in heaven during the tribulation period. John sees all of this before the second coming described in Revelation 19:11-16. But the post-tribulation position requires that both these major events happen instantaneously as Jesus returns to earth. That is simply not logical.
Describing Jesus returns to the earth at His second coming, Revelation 19:14 says, “And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.” They are coming to earth with Him. They are not being caught up; they are coming down with Him. We know these armies include the church because of the promise in Colossians 3:4: “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” And Jude 14 quotes Enoch’s prophecy saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints.”
The post-tribulation position has the church coming up to meet the Lord in the air as Christ is coming down to judge the wicked. In defense of the post-tribulation position advocates point to the custom in ancient times of “emissaries from a city going out to meet the dignitary and escort him on his way to their city.” Keener says the word translated meeting (apantesis) in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 when paired with a royal coming “normally” referred to this.viii But Greek scholar, Clinton Arnold, rejects this as an argument for the post-tribulation position. He says
Paul often relied on the Septuagint in the language he used in his letters and this Greek word “is regularly used in the Septuagint just in the simple sense of meeting without any technical sense of going out and escorting a dignitary back to the city.” Arnold insists this idea of emissaries going out from a city to meet dignitaries “is certainly not inherent in this Greek word.”ix If the post-tribulation position is right, this offers a beautiful picture to describe it. But it offers no real argument for the position.
IV. Another strength of the pre-tribulation theory is that it offers a meaningful explanation of the
PURPOSE FOR THE RAPTURE.
In his debate on this subject, Clinton Arnold asked the thought-provoking question: “Why is there a rapture in the first place?” He criticized the post-tribulation position for substantially removing the need for a rapture. In that scheme, the church goes up and comes right back down.x In the pre-tribulation position the rapture removes the church from the wrath being poured out on the earth; it concludes the church age as the 70th week for Israel begins; it places the church in heaven during the tribulation period where the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper take place. In the pre-tribulation position there is a clear purpose for the rapture.
V. Another major strength of the pre-tribulation position is that it effectively supports the biblical issue of IMMINENCE.
Imminence simply means the event is ready to take place; it could happen at any moment. The early church expected Christ to come suddenly as a thief in the night. In his discourse on the Mount of Olives, Jesus warned his followers to be ready for His return and said in Matthew 24:44, “for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” He followed that up with parables emphasizing the importance of continual readiness. The pre-tribulation position places emphasis on eagerly watching and staying prepared for His return.
Here are a few passages that call for this mindset. In the upper room before His trial Jesus taught His disciples to anticipate His return. In John 14:1-3 He said to them: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” The assurance that that could happen at any time would bring much comfort. The idea that you have seven years of the worst tribulation ever experienced would not be so comforting.
We find the promise of Christ’s return confirmed at His ascension. Acts 1:4-8 says,
“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7 And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”
Notice a couple of things in those verses before we read verses 9-11. The disciples wanted to know about God’s plan for the end times, in particular whether Christ would restore the kingdom to Israel “at this time.” It is easy to understand why they would ask that question because the Church Age had not yet been revealed. But Jesus’s answer communicates a couple of important points. In verse 7 Jesus says, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” God has not chosen to reveal a full answer to the question that was asked. It’s a legitimate question, but it should not be the center of your attention. Instead there are two things we should focus on. Those are stated in verse 8: empowerment by the Spirit and evangelism. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” Even though we are currently studying “the times and seasons” of God’s plan to restore the kingdom to Israel, the details are not central to our gospel message. In this church age the central concern is the empowerment of the Spirit for being a witness of Christ to the whole world. Knowing that, helps us keep our current study in perspective.
We shouldn’t fret because we can’t perfectly put all the pieces together in our eschatology. Some of the pieces are not revealed. Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” We do not waste a lot of time theorizing on the secret things God has not revealed in His word. Instead we seek to understand by His grace that which He has revealed. And we don’t do that as a mere academic exercise. We do it so that we can live pleasing to Him: “that we may do all the words of this law.” We do it so that we can live obediently within the behavioral boundaries He has established for us as our God and heavenly Father.
Currently God has us in a study of end-time prophecy. But we do that in the context of our mission to evangelize the world. We keep our eschatology in the context of our message as a whole. Twenty-seven percent of Scripture is prophecy. Those passages are not to be ignored. But we also want to deal with the other seventy-three percent. That way we maintain balance in our walk forward.
Then in Acts 1:9-11 we are told when happened next when Jesus ascended into heaven.
“Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’” The assurance of Christ’s return is affirmed. That verse does not necessarily prove the pre-tribulation position.xi But it does reinforce an anticipation of His coming. The exclamation mark of that moment is that He is coming back!
This passionate anticipation of the Lord’s return runs throughout the New Testament. For example, Titus 2:11-13 says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Just reading that passage for what it says, one would not be looking for a great tribulation and then the glorious appearing of the Lord. The tone is that we would live in anticipation of His imminent return.
And there should be an eagerness in that waiting. In Philippians 3:20 we read, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Notice Paul includes himself and the Philippian Christians in that anticipation of the Lord’s return.
The New Testament authors write with an anticipation of the imminent return of Christ. James says in chapter 5:8 of his epistle, “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” The NIV says, “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.”
Notice how Paul INCLUDES HIMSELF in 1 Cor 15:51-53. “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Paul expresses the possibility and even the anticipation of being raptured: “ We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” What I am pointing out right now is a mindset of imminence.
The Apostle John with all the revelation he received had that mindset as well. He begins the book of Revelation this way: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants — things which must shortly take place.” The NLT says, “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him concerning the events that will happen soon.”
Then John closes that book in chapter 22 with a reminder of imminence. In verses 6-7 we read, “Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. 7 ‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’” And verse 20 makes this final appeal from the Lord: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.‘ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
Those are some of the passages alerting us to stay prepared for the coming of the Lord. None of those verses promise a seven-year refinement time that prepares us for His coming. The general idea is that we do not know the time when the Lord will return, so we are to stay prepared to meet Him.
Scholars of the other two positions answer the imminence issue by saying we don’t know the “day and hour” but we can know the “season.” There is some validity in that argument, but (for time sake) we will discuss that when we examine the post-tribulation position.
Before we leave the subject of imminence, I need to mention an application error that can easily happen with the other two positions. This is not a error in the doctrine held by mid or post tribulation camps. It’s simply a tendency some in those camps can fall into. While those who hold the pre-tribulation position can easily fall into a mindset of escapism, those in the other two camps can easy get too focused on the signs and the coming tribulation, rather than looking for Christ Himself.
A strength of the pre-tribulation position is that it tends to focus our expectancy on Christ Himself rather than the signs of His coming or the tribulation we are going to experience. The New Testament calls us to live in expectancy of the Lord’s coming. Our mind is to be focused on Him! We are not to focus on the coming tribulation or the Antichrist. With passionate love we are to be eagerly waiting for our Bridegroom. We are to look beyond the trouble and see the King. We must eagerly long for His appearing. Nothing should distract us from that.
So, we have looked at five strengths of the pre-tribulation position.
(1) It properly recognizes the biblical purpose of the tribulation period.
(2) It organizes whole biblical revelation on eschatology in a logical, unified system.
(3) It seems to follow the sequence in the book of Revelation better.
(4) It offers a meaningful explanation for the purpose of the rapture.
(5) It supports the biblical issue of imminence effectively.
Those are significant strengths. But there are also some serious weaknesses that we will consider next week.
I hope our study is stirring in you a longing for Christ’s return. I hope you are holding the things of this world a bit more loosely as we turn our face toward the promise of His coming.xii
In the conclusion of his first letter to the Corinthians Paul wrote with passion, “Maranatha” (KJV) which means, “O Lord, come!”xiii In my early twenties, full of zeal, I found a bumper sticker that simply had the word “Maranatha.” I got some interesting responses when I stuck it on my bumper. Most people didn’t know what it meant and would ask. That was the open door I was looking for, and I gave them an ear full. It is the longing of our hearts, “O Lord, come!” It is our blessed hope: “Maranatha.” It is our response to His promise to come quickly. “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”xiv
ENDNOTES:
i “5 approaches to interpreting Revelation,” Zondervan Academic. Accessed 12-24-20 at 7 Tips for Understanding Revelation | Zondervan Academic.
ii W. A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation: Five Volume Complete and Unabridged in One, Vol. 1, 1962 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978) 20.
iii All Scripture quotes, unless indicated otherwise, are from the New King James Version.
iv W. A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation: Five Volume Complete and Unabridged in One, Vol. IV, 1962 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978) 110.
v Tauta is in the accusative. Meta with the accusative means after. John’s use of the words meta tauta in this book is a strong indicator of sequence.
vi Partial rapture advocates identify these 24 elders as overcoming Christians in contrast to Christians who were not overcoming and had to go through the tribulation period. There are various interpretations of who the 24 elders are so reliance on this by pre-tribulationists must be tentative and limited. However, it does tend to argue for the church being in heaven. If that is not the interpretation, mid-tribulationists and post-tribulationists must provide a better definition of who these 24 elders are.
vii 1 Corinthians 3:13 says, “each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.” The tone in Revelation 19 suggests this has already happened, for the Bride is ready for her Bridegroom.
viii Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993) 593.
ix Clinton Arnold, “Academic Forum, Segment I: Initial Remarks,” Center for Biblical End-Time Studies: The Glorious Return of Our King. Accessed 1/1/21 at Empowering Christians to Understand Live Share the Forerunner Message (cbetskc.org).
x Clinton Arnold, “Academic Forum, Segment I: Initial Remarks,” Center for Biblical End-Time Studies: The Glorious Return of Our King. Accessed 1/1/21 at Empowering Christians to Understand Live Share the Forerunner Message (cbetskc.org).
xi In fact, the close connection in verse 11 made between the ascension and the return tends to support the post-tribulation position.
xii Cf. Luke 21:34-36; 1 John 2:15-17; Richard W. Tow, Authentic Christianity: Studies in 1 John (Bloomington, IN: Westbow Press, 2019) 95-110.
xiii The Greek would also allow for it to be translated, “Our Lord has come.” But given the overall message of the New Testament, it is more likely it expresses a longing for Christ’s return, i.e., “O Lord, come!”
xiv Rev. 22:20
